The Olympic Games bring together the world’s best athletes every four years to compete for top honors. These athletes endure rigorous qualification processes, overcoming injuries and travel fatigue, and facing various weather conditions to secure their spot on the team.
In the pursuit of victory, athletes and coaches are constantly seeking any advantage they can find over their competitors. As technology continues to advance, it has permeated into every aspect of our lives, including the world of sports.
However, there is a fine line between technological advancements in sports and performance enhancement, often referred to as “technological doping.” Technological doping occurs when technology enhances an athlete’s performance beyond their natural capabilities, potentially giving them an unfair advantage over others.
An example of this is the Speedo LZR Racer swimsuits developed in collaboration with NASA, which broke 13 world records in 2008. These suits were subsequently banned from professional competition.
Determining whether a technological advancement is a natural progression in a sport or if it genuinely improves an athlete’s performance beyond their capabilities is not always straightforward.
Many people around the world currently use wearable technology, such as smartwatches or rings, to track their health or performance. Similarly, high-level athletes and coaches utilize objective measures to monitor and improve their performance leading up to the Olympics. For instance, a sprinter may use smart insoles to measure ground contact time during maximum velocity efforts.
When testing new equipment, such as running shoe prototypes, scientists examine the materials and components used to construct them to ensure they do not exceed the usual capabilities for their intended purpose. Biomechanics laboratories then conduct experiments to compare the performance of these shoes against those typically used by competitors.
Even if a shoe performs better than others in these experiments, it does not necessarily mean it will be banned from competition. For example, Nike Vaporflys worn by Kenyan runner Eliud Kipchoge during his record-breaking two-hour marathon contained a thin carbon fiber plate integrated within a midsole made of highly compressible and flexible plastic. While researchers found that Vaporflys performed better than other shoes, they could not provide a biomechanical explanation for this improvement.
To ensure fairness, regulatory bodies like World Athletics have introduced regulations, such as maximum stack heights for road racing shoes and limitations on the number of carbon fiber plates allowed. These bodies also require shoes to be available for purchase by the general public for a certain period before being used in competition.
The major ethical concern with technological doping is inequality. If only some athletes can afford wearable technology that provides performance gains, it undermines the true nature of sport. Therefore, regulatory bodies should collaborate with experts to accurately classify wearable technology and ensure affordability and accessibility are not overlooked.
Regular testing in biomechanical labs can also help evaluate the impact of new technologies on performance and prevent unfair enhancement of athletic abilities. By combining expert insights and rigorous testing, we can maintain a level playing field and preserve the integrity of competitive sports.